Evidence-based ways to improve hair density?

[u/fatimaduaa]

Which scientifically supported topical treatments, nutritions, or lifestyle interventions have been shown through research to enhance hair growth rate or improve follicle strength and overall hair density?

[u/Longjumping_Week4092]

I will offer that Jude Chao of Fifty Shades of Snail (fiddysnails on Instagram) has been doing a multi-year experiment involving supplementation and more recently microneedling a Calecim exosome serum into her scalp.

I don’t ever remember her saying that she’d experienced hair thinning, just that her hair had been thin to begin with. Starting with scalp care and supplements, she noticed that she was shedding less and less, and then incorporating the Calecim, that her hair has actively been getting thicker than it had ever been in her life- including both her baby hairs becoming terminal and previous thin spots filling in.

She has extensive photo documentation of this. Check it out! I hadn’t heard of anything like that happening before, so thought it was pretty cool.

If you’re not experiencing androgenetic alopecia, the only ways I know to (potentially) increase your density are increasing blood flow to the scalp regularly, dealing with external inflammation (be it related to fungal conditions or not washing your scalp enough), and ensuring that you’re eating enough to reach your micro (particularly ferritin for eg) and macro (particularly protein) nutrient goals.

Even with that said, I don’t know that folks are increasing their density beyond the follicles they have or just giving their bodies the energy to grow hair in all the follicular real estate they have. If your body is chronically stressed, hair is often the first thing to go (not nearly as important as keeping your major organs afloat lol)- see telogen effluvium.

Lots of folks under eat or don’t get enough protein/micronutrients with a standard American diet.

[u/Ill-Marionberry9177 → u/Longjumping_Week4092]

While I agree with much of your statement here, what I will point out is that the average American (or North American) diet is actually high in protein not low [ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are-you-getting-too-much-protein ]. Americans probably eat more protein than the rest of the world. While there are many issues with the standard American diet, significant nutrient deficiencies are also typically less common in the US than in developing nations. This isn’t to say that Americans don’t experience nutrient deficiencies, just that it is not as prevalent as many assume based on the standard American diet and is typically more limited to population subgroups [ https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/micronutrient-inadequacies/overview ] One of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the US that impacts hair loss is vitamin D which is prevalent is the US as well as many other countries and is more related to outdoor time and behaviour than diet. If any nutritional deficiencies are suspected it is important to consult a physician and have the appropriate bloodwork done before treating even with over the counter products. While the supplement industry is largely unregulated in the US, unsupervised supplementation can still be dangerous.

[u/Particular_Lion3746 → u/Ill-Marionberry9177]

I use Advanced Trichology products. Dr Gautis(sp?) is a trichologist. He has studies hl, and knows the most common hl is due to nutritional deficiency varying from vit D, to zinc, to ferritin. Anyone making random assumptions about nutrition and food consumption is very wrong. More specifically I have a long standing nutritional deficiency in vit D and vit B12. The latter is a diagnosed conversion disorder. As I got my levels up to optimal levels my hair grew back, with color.

[u/Ill-Marionberry9177 → u/Particular_Lion3746]

Yes that is partly what I am trying to communicate in my comment. Even though vitamin D is the most prevalent nutrient deficiency in America it is not a universal treatment for hair loss and the American diet ia not wholly lacking in micronutrients, deficiencies vary widely. If one is to treat hair loss with supplements they need bloodwork and diagnosis. I was mainly trying to communicate that assumptions and generalization that the standard American diet is commonly lacking protein and micronutrients is mislead. I used vitamin D to illustrate this as the most common deficiency is largely unrelated to diet, not to say that vitamin D deficiency is the most universal cause of hair loss. I hope that was clear!

[u/Particular_Lion3746 → u/Ill-Marionberry9177]

you are correct to suggest lab work and a convo with your dr if your hair is shedding. I'm also finding that it's possible my old, hard tap water has contributed to hl. And let's not forget my hypothyroid/hashi too. as I get ready to apply a scalp treatment :)

[u/Difficult-Shake7754 → u/Particular_Lion3746]

Fellow hasmimotos (and other autoimmune issues!) person here! Hope you get you D checked often. I commented on the above person but thought I’d share specifically that I was supplementing with D gummies and my labs were always abysmal. taking them as pills was like turning on a light bulb for me

[u/Difficult-Shake7754 → u/Ill-Marionberry9177]

Yes, American diets are usually fine in protein. When I went vegetarian as a child my parents were concerned so I put up a chart on the fridge to track everything that I ate in a day, without changing my diet. I was getting plenty of protein per the guidelines.

I will say that the micronutrients are in my case more likely to be an issue. And while the general population does usually have deficiencies, if other Americans are here specifically, they probably have a higher than average chance of being deficient in something. Especially if they struggle with any autoimmune disorders. And lots of folks in the USA don’t get outside in the sun much due to the weather being very hot, very cold, or just not having much sun in general. Going back to deficiencies though, as an autoimmune disorder owner, I’m deficient in several vitamins at times. I’ll throw in my experience that I used to take vitamin d gummies all the time but was still low on labs. the week I switched to tablets was a game changer. I used to take everything in gummy form so I’d be motivated to actually do it but I’ve since switched to a “have a snack with my supplements at night” method and everything works a lot better.